Without wanting to dip too deeply into the realm of the melodramatic, tomorrow’s U.S. Presidential election is indeed a significant historical event. Each election, of course, advertises itself as “the most important in American history” and, to a degree, each one is for, as long as the current trend of inflated morality and self-destructive thinking continues, elections are that one chance to stem the tide.
Elections not only allow a nation to re-direct itself, they are a judgment upon what has already happened. Ergo, the people who created the problem are a direct product of the people who created the problem. Voters, while decrying their helplessness are not without blame here. For every George W. Bush voter who backed an increasingly-corrupt regime, there is someone who sat by complacently - either through inaction or downright disgust - and allowed this to happen.
Democracy has a great way of being to correct its own problems though. The very nature of the concept demands accountability and what has been lacking for far too long in politics - especially American politics which is, in effect, the biggest gorilla in the room - is that accountability. A nation with a passive and fearful electorate is subject to bullying and intimidation, and this one has truly been intimidated.
But, for every storm there is a port. There will always be a beacon when a nation’s people believe in principle. As long as the basis is there for a republic, people will always fight to retain the freedoms they have. Americans have lived so far from their founding principles for so long and have taken for granted so many rights and privileges earned through so much historical sacrifice, they have become numb to the whole idea of true liberty.
They see concessions, cloaked in intimidating hyperbole, as patriotic, as if basic human tenets are negotiable. Acts done in the name of a name of country, and at the peril of that country are subject to the wills - the democratic majority - of its people. Governance is not the province of the select few.
And now America stands ready to take back its nation. This isn’t about partisanship, it’s about doing what’s best for a country. It’s about reverting back to a credo and a code of ethics, due diligence and democratic procedure.
The best thing about America, and democracy in general, is in how it presents us with the Barack Obamas and John Kennedys of the world. When democracy isn’t working well, democracy provides an alternative. The great irony being that only when a country is listing badly can it truly see if it still truly works. Democracy is always one solution greater than its problems.
The mere fact that things had to get this bad and this dire for a nation to recognize itself, and to want to heal itself is unfortunate but, because it has re-ignited the populace and people are now again caring and participating in something they should have never been apart from, there is hope.
The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. Sometimes it just takes longer than it should.
Here’s hoping America still cares enough about America enough to correct a problem created by its own hands.